


Snapped

by buckyismymainman



Series: ACOTAR One Shots [8]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Elain is tired of being sidelined, Gen, She just wants to be included for once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 08:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30052569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckyismymainman/pseuds/buckyismymainman
Summary: Elain is tired of being ignored and sidelined and finally snaps at the others.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: ACOTAR One Shots [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2203890
Kudos: 6





	Snapped

The meeting had been called over an hour ago and Elain had been sitting quietly on the couch. She could feel a headache building and her teeth ground together for the hundredth time as they all discussed things having to do with the court. Everyone was involved but her. She had opened her mouth several times to speak, but she was swiftly talked over by someone else.

“Beron has nearly caused yet another war,” Cassian was saying to Rhys. “Something needs to be done about him.”

“What can we do?” Rhys argued back. “This isn’t something that can be solved with swords and fists, Cassian.”

“Well maybe it should be,” Cassian bit back.

Azriel remained quiet, leaning against the wall and observing the family as they fought. Feyre was trying to calm the others down as tensions rose in the room. “We need to talk to Eris,” she was saying, her attention turning to Lucien who was sitting several feet away from Elain. “Do you think your brother would be willing to discuss the Autumn Court with us?”

Lucien tapped his fingers against the wood of the armrest, each tap sent her head pounding. It was all too much, too much noise and arguing. She was tired of being invited to these meetings and never being asked her opinion on what they should do. “Eris is going to be playing his cards close to his chest. He’s still waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.”

“I have an idea,” Elain said, but she was ignored, as if she weren’t there.

“Well Eris needs to do something,” Mor said. “As much as I hate the thought of him becoming High Lord we need someone better than Beron in there.”

“Is he better though?” Amren asked. “Or is he just manipulative enough to lure us into a false sense of security?”

“Listen to me,” Elain tried again.

“I’m with Amren on this,” Nesta said. “We can’t trust Eris with anything he says. He’s too conniving for that.”

“HEY!” Elain shouted, finally snapping and tired of being looked over. All eyes turned to her and she balled her hands into fists and said, “I’m tired of you all talking over me. Not listening to what _I_ have to say. I may not be a warrior like Nesta or High Lady like Feyre. Or hell even second in command like Amren, or third like Mor, but I have ideas. I have powers just like the rest of you, or did you forget that I helped during the war with Hybern.” Elain was shaking as her rage pumped through her, “If you’re not going to listen to what I have to say then stop inviting me to these meetings.” With those final words, she turned and strode out of the room, fuming the entire time.

The Inner Court all shared looks with one another and thought about how they had been ignoring Elain during their meetings. “I didn’t think that maybe she would want to participate in the meetings,” Feyre said softly. “I just wanted her to feel included, like we weren’t trying to keep things from her.”

Nesta rested a hand on her sister’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, she had been trying to protect Elain as well. “Give her a little while to cool down and then we’ll go talk to her and apologize. We all need to give Elain more of a chance.”

Elain sat in her room at the River Estate and stared out the window toward her garden below. Things were right back to where they were when she had first been Made. Thought this was probably worse. No one thought she was useful. Just another pretty, innocent face that couldn’t be bothered with strategies and espionage.

No, she was only good for gardening.

There was a soft knock on her door and she knew it was gonna be her sisters. The door opened and revealed not Feyre and Nesta, but Azriel. “I brought some tea,” he said softly. His shadows darting out and swirling around her. She managed a small smile at how excited they seemed to be excited around her.

Her eyes darted up to where Azriel was still lingering by the door and she knew that he was waiting to be invited inside. “Come in,” she said.

He came over to where she was seated and set the tea tray down on the table she had and said, “The others are feeling bad about what happened earlier.”

Elain poured herself a cup of tea, adding sugar and some milk to it. As she stirred she said, “I guess you want me to go and forgive them, or they sent you in here to get me to come talk to them so they could apologize.”

“No,” his response startled her and she looked up from her tea. “They’re currently arguing about how they should apologize, they don’t know I’m here.”

She smirked, “Snuck up here, did you?” When he looked down sheepishly she laughed. “Why?”

“I know that things haven’t been easy for you, and I know you’re not used to court politics.” She frowned and he continued, “ _But_ I can see potential in you, Elain. There’s more beneath the surface than most have been allowed to see. They just need to give you a chance.”

Elain felt herself flush at those words and she set her tea down and got up to hug Azriel, “Thank you, Az.”

He patted her back, “Of course, Elain.”

A few hours later after Azriel had disappeared from her room Elain headed back down to the main portion of the home. As she drew closer to the offices she heard the voices of the others talking.

“... Do you think now would be a good idea to apologize to her?” Feyre asked.

“I think it would be okay, we’ve given her enough time to herself,” Nesta responded.

Elain pushed the door open and said, “I don’t want apologies.” Everyone in the room looked up at her. “I just want you to listen to me for once. Life is different now, and I am a part of this court now. Things that affect you all also affect me, no more sitting back and just being a pretty face. I want to be useful.”

It was Rhys that spoke, “I think we could all use a fresh perspective. You have my word that I will listen to you.”

Feyre nodded, “As will I. I’m sorry that I didn’t consider you would want to actually participate. I just wanted you to feel like we wanted you here, which we do. It’s just the thought of war and fighting used to bother you.”

“Well I’m different now,” Elain told them. “I’m not the same anymore, none of us are. I want to make sure that nothing like that happens again, or at least minimize the damage.”

Azriel spoke next, “So what would you do about Beron?”

She grinned, “We can’t trust Eris right?” They nodded. “We use him and then double cross him and place someone on the Autumn throne.”

“Who?” Mor asked.

Elain’s gaze went to Lucien who was watching her, “Lucien.”

“Me?” He said in surprise. “Why?”

Elain clasped her hands behind her back, “You’re a good man, you’re already our ally. We know that we can trust you, and it would build ties between Night and Autumn. It would also minimize a war that would split the courts. The less lives that can be lost the better.”

Rhys turned to Lucien, “Do you want to be High Lord?”

Lucien sat there in silence for a moment, utterly shocked by what had come out of Elain’s mouth. Him a High Lord? “I don’t know.”

“Think about it,” Elain said. “We have some breathing room before we need to act, correct?” Rhys nodded. “Then consider it and if not, we’ll go from there.”

Nesta approached her sister and said, “For what it’s worth I am sorry we talked over you and ignored what you had to say. I guess I still wanted to protect you as I always have.”

Elain gripped Nesta’s hand, “I know. Just don’t let it happen again.” With that she pulled her sister in for a hug and Feyre got up to join them.

Elain knew that they would sometimes forget to make her feel included, those old instincts coming back to protect her. But at least now they knew she wouldn’t be afraid to stand up for herself.


End file.
